Asia Times: Taliban’s ‘Red Unit’ poses new threat to Afghan security
In December, US forces in Afghanistan released footage of an operation they conducted in the Taliban-dominated district of Musa Qala, in Helmand province. The grainy, black and white video showed them targeting a compound and blowing it to smithereens, with everyone inside.
An accompanying press statement declared that the “Taliban’s ‘Red Unit’ commander in Helmand province, Mullah Shah Wali, aka Haji Nasir, was killed in a kinetic strike.” The statement added that “one of Wali’s deputy commanders and three other insurgents were also killed.”
Helmand and Kandahar have proven to be the key provinces in the fight against the Taliban following the first wave of withdrawals of foreign troops, in 2014. Operations are being conducted with increasing frequency via NATO’s Operation Resolute Support in those areas.
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Update #1: Taliban’s Well-Armed ‘Red Unit’ Attacks Afghan Forces (Antiwar.com)
Update #2: Taliban Fighters Using High-Tech Gear Kill Afghan Forces (New York Times)
WNU Editor: Joint U.S.-Afghan military operations have been successful in the past month to "decapitate" the leadership of this group. But to me this is just another indication on how resilient the Taliban are, and I predict that in the weeks and months to come these dead Taliban commanders will be replaced by others.